Fastening device for the doors of freight-cars



(N0 Model.) 'H E- EASTENI'NG DEVICE FOR THE DOORS OF FREIGHT CARS. N0. 3 1 1,76 1 Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES "UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

HENRY ELIAS HOKE, OF OHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR THE DOORS OF FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,761, dated February 3, 1885.

' Application filed August 8, 1884.

To all whom ii may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY ELIAS HOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Devices for the Doors of Freight-Oars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of afreight-car with my improvement attached to the door thereof; Fig. 2, aperspective View of thelocking device, and Fig. 3 a perspective View of the keeper.

This invention has relation to certain improvements in fastening devices forthe doors of freight-cars, and has for its object the provision of means whereby the door after being closed may be forced against its closing posts or jambs, so as to close up the crevices and render the door more rigid and secure.

A further object of this invention is to provide for the unavoidable play or sag of the door andrelieve the fastening of injurious strain.

In the fastening constituting the subject of the application referred to a metallic bar or strap is secured to the door by bolts, and to such bar or strap is hinged a lever having a beveled lug or block, which enters a socket or box fitted in the side of the car. hen the door is closed sufficiently to admit the block or lug partly within the box or socket, the lever is forced inward, so that the beveled end of the lug, pressing against the end of the socket or box, will cause the door to move farther and fully close up its opening. This action, however, does not affect the tendency of the door to move or play laterally, and hence does not produce an absolutely-rigid and immovable sealing or closure of the door.

My improvement contemplates supplying the requisite means for forcing the door against the sides of the car in a lateral direction, and thus re-enforcing the action of thebeveled lug or projection. My invention accordingly consists in forming the projection or lug on the side or back of the lever with a beveled or (No model.)

wedge-shaped toe, and in providing the socketpiece or box with a slot or under-cut to receive the same, the toe and slot or under-cut being so shaped and related that when brought to bear one against the other in the act ot'forcing the lug into the socket the door will be pried toward and against the side of the car, so that it may be securely fastened in such position, thereby rendering the door sparkproof.

My invention also consistsin the novel construction of the hinge-connection between the fastening-lever and the bar to which it is attached, as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents the side of a freight, stock, express, or other car, having an opening, B, designed to be closed by a door, 0, which is adapted to slide to and fro in guides or ways a a.

D represents a metal bar or strap,secured to the door 0 by bolts dd,and having a hinge connection or joint consisting of a curved pintle or hinge-link,i, which passes through an eye,K,in the lug F on the end of a lever, F, which may be made of wrought or cast iron. This lever terminates at its hinge end in a head, projection, or lug, F, of such width or depth horizontally that when closed its outer surface is flush with the outer surface of the bar D, while its lower or inner surface is inside the exterior plane of the car-side A. One end of said head, projection, or lug is beveled, as shown at f, to form a wedge bearing against the end of the socket or box G, while the other end is shouldered at f, and is prolonged to form a curved and tapering toe, 9, also designed to serve the purposes of a wedge. The box'G constitutes a socket or abutment for the pro jection or lug F. One end of such box is beveled, as shown at h, while the other end, h, is straight and in alignment with the shoulder f but at its base is slotted or undercut, as shown at h to receive the toe g.

The operation of the device so far described is as follows: The door is first moved forward or slid along on its ways or guides until it closes the opening 13. The lever F is then thrown backwardly or inwardly toward the car-side until it meets the latter or comes close to the same, (a fastening-link, with which the lever may be supplied, being dropped into a mortise in the side of the car and secured by a padlock or other suitable fastening.) In moving back the lever the inner part of the head or projection F enters the socket or box 5 G, its shoulderfbearing against the beveled end h of said box or socket, and its other shoulder, f, abutting against the other end, 72 of said socket, such movement tending to force the door forward, if the latter be not altoe g enters the slot or undercut recess h, and

when the wedge-shaped shoulder f is forcing the door forward such toe is exertingalateral pressure against the side of the car and tending to force the doorlaterally againstits jambs or framing.

In the device shown in the application already referred to, the hinge-connection between the bar and the lever is a simple linkhinge formed of two rings or eye and ring, thus leaving little or no play between the parts to accommodate them to the unavoidable ready tightly closed. At the same time the movement of the door in a lateral or vertical direction.

In this instance I provide for such an elongated and reversely-curved' pintle or hinge-link, 13, which is coupled to the eye is, formed on the end of the lever, as shown, allowing said link or pintle extensive play, and permitting the hinge to accommodate itself 0 to any movement or irregularity in the setting of the door.

\Vhat I claim as myinvention is v 1. In fastening devices for sliding doors,the combination, with the lever'F, having the toe g, and the bar I), hinged to said lever, of the socket or box G, having the slot or undercut recess h adapted to receive said toe, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the lever F, hav- 4o ing the lug F, of the bar D, having the elongated and curved pint-1e or hinge-link 1', sub stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY ELIAS HOKE.

Witnesses:

P. HEEFNER, J. SIERER. 

